Harbor Freight

Spudm

Member
Not long ago, a new store opened in my town called "Harbor Freight". Is everything in these stores from China? What's your experience with tools from Harbor Freight?
 
I have bought lots of things from there. Just don't expect to get a Cadillac for the price of a Chevy. The few things I was dissatisfied with were made good on my next trip without any hassle. TDF
 
As long as you know what you're shopping for (read the reviews carefully) you'll do fine. I buy lots of stuff from them and am rarely disappointed.
 
somethings are very good
all are cheap price
where else can you buy american made tools?
so if you are going to buy China then pay China price not American price for China tools
definitely research the reviews and expect to have a bad one from time to time
 
I'll give my review, two predator engines, one for a garden tiller and one for a go-cart=happy happy. One 12000 lb. winch- has done everything I called on it to do=happy. One airless paint sprayer- performed without issue=happy. Several small items tools a rolling toolbox drill bits. I have not been disappointed, I expected mediocre stuff for the price its performed better than that. jmho gobble
 
Lots of people in their store shopping! They have a dollar days and sidewalk sale going on this weekend. Appreciate the reviews.
 
I bought a small HVLP detail paint gun from them several years ago, it did a great job on little paint jobs that would otherwise use part of a spray can of paint. Then I dropped a little fitting while cleaning it and could not find it. Bought a second gun. It refused to spray anything, even straight thinner. Took it back with receipt and exchanged for another new one off the shelf. That one worked O-K.

Yes, a $100 gun sprays better, but you can buy SIX HF guns for $100.
 
I bought one of their China made air compressors and about wore it out sandblasting the wheels off my '50 JD B. When it developed a death rattle, I was told to bring it back and received full credit toward a 5 HP American made air compressor. I just had to buy a 5 year warranty on the new one. They have a mixture of China made and American made stuff. You decide.
 
You have to be careful! Yes it is all imported. Some decent quality, some not. It's basically designed for home workshop use, not really a place to buy for commercial or industrial use.

I've had mixed results. I tend to shy away from most things with electric motors, they have not given me much service, I typically just chunk them, but they do have a good return policy if I would keep the receipt.

But hand tools, shop tools that you can look at and judge the quality, they're OK, again just be careful!
 
Yes, all made in china for the most part, but I think you'll find that's less and less a bad thing.

Remember when we used to complain about japanese junk? And then they crushed us in the automotive and electronics world with vastly superior products?

Complaining about chinese quality reminds me of my dad insisting on buying cars from detroit during the late 70's and 80's, refusing to buy any of that japanese junk.

I used to be a tool snob and would never set foot into the harbor freight near me.

But then one day I desperately needed an odd tool that only they had... then another on another day...

Slowly but surely I've found everything I've purchased there to be PERFECTLY adequate for my needs - and so cheap I wouldn't have cared if it wasn't.

I've since bought tons of tools there, save a TON of money, and have never regretted.

No longer a tool snob.

If you don't like something, they'll take it back no questions asked.

What've you got to lose?
 

Great cheap throw away tools. I need a lot of weird oversize wrenches for a one time use and they work pretty well. Especially when I have to cut a wrench down for used on the backhoe or some other weird fit problem. Have broken a couple when Using a 6 foot cheater pipe, but just bought another and finished the job. Dont expect much and you will do fine. However do like my craftsman tools for daily use. But now I have a set of 3/4 and 1 inch drive sockets up to 2.5 inches, a couple of 20 ton bottle jacks, engine hoist, engine stand, a 20 ton press, 4 floor jacks, 10 or more hd jack stands, grease and 90 wt pumps, and lots of other goodies for occasional use on the farm. Have a set of shorties that are life savers when you have no other way, cheap ratchet wrenches, tubing wrenches, you name it. I buy the impact socket adapters 5 of each size as I break them fairly often, but then again, with the adapters I can use all of my impact wrenches with all of my sockets. I have ir ExtremeDuty impact guns up to 1 inch, so I can really do some damage on the socket adapters.
 
Spudm

Long Time User
Posts: 836
Joined: 01/25/11
10-16-2015 12:54:55

Spudm- you have been a member on YT for over 4 1/2 years and you have never read about the comments on HF? There are posts about HF on this forum and Tool Talk.

Just seems odd to me.
 
I've bought a lot of stuff from HF and am rarely disappointed. But, like everywhere else, you have to know what you're looking for and be your own judge.

Also, they seem to be very customer oriented. I bought a laser measurer that didn't work. I exchanged it twice and when the third one didn't work they gave me a cash refund and discontinued the product. Several years ago, I bought a 60 gallon, upright, two stage air compressor from them. After six months or so it started leaking down noticeably overnight. I mentioned it at the HF store and they told me to bring it back with my receipt and they'd give me another. Turned out it was my own plumbing that was leaking.

It isn't all Chinese. A lot of their combination wrenches are made in India. And that's not all bad. Some of the finest steel made comes from India. I read a report on some steel statuary made in India that's some 2,000 years old and not a speck of rust.
 
(quoted from post at 18:03:08 10/16/15) ...... It's basically designed for home workshop use, not really a place to buy for commercial or industrial use.
.....
again just be careful!

Actually, few years ago we needed to setup a small assembly line for a project. Needed air tools for multiple stations. Rather than spend big money on good tools, we bought about 25 or so at HF. When one wore out we just tossed it in the trash and picked up another one. IIRC, they were 10-12 bucks apiece. Job ended and we still had a bunch left. Served their purpose and saved us big money.
 
HF has its place. A new OEM tool kit for my Triumph motorcycle costs over sixty bucks, and is comprised of just a few junky tools. For a lot less money, I was able to put together a very complete tool kit using HF tools. No, the quality isn't up to Craftsman or Snap-On standards, but it's way better than the original Triumph tools. Given that the tool kit is only intended for emergencies, it's plenty good.
 
"Just don't expect to get a Cadillac for the price of a Chevy. "

Sometimes, it works the other way.... back in the 80's lots of folks shelled out big bucks for a Cadillac Cimmarron, which turned out to be a Chevy Cavalier with plumped up seats and Caddy badges.
Embarrasing
 
daily wrench in hand tools I buy good ones.
ya know, where if they fail, I get broken bones or see what the inside of my hands looks like.........
other stuff, seldom used tools, electric stuff, sure HF is fine.
$18 bucks for a grinder?, sure give me 2 so I don't have to change disks...when it dies, throw it out.
and stuff like cherry-pickers, gantry trolleys, hoists, engine stands, winches, and such....on sale with a % off coupon, ya just can't beat HF.

just look your purchases over good.
When I got my first of two, 3-ton gantry trolleys, I looked it over very closely. Well-made, strong components, it is fine at 1/5 the price of others after discounts.
 
I have only bought tools several times from Harbor freight and not impressed with their quality and 70 mile round trip to return anything is a pain in the neck.
 
I've bought a lot of HF hand tools over the years to have as extras and have had no problems, but I don't abuse them. I've also bought a lot of disposables like screwdriver bits, small drill bits, zip ties, etc., with good results. Also love HF heat-shrink tubing when on sale cheap. My biggest purchase at HF is the 12,000-pound Badland winch. I knew I was taking a risk, but most of the reviews were good. I put it on a new car trailer and it bolted up perfectly. So far this summer/fall I've used it to load eight vehicles, including four old half-ton shortbed Chevy pickups, a Nova, a Dart, a Fiero and a '63 Impala coupe with locked up brakes. It has performed admirably, even dragging the Impala onto the trailer with the tires dragging. If it fails tomorrow I've still gotten my money's worth for the work it has saved loading non-runners.
 
HF is the ultimate chinese tool outlet. I've bought 2 air compressors there. 1st one locked up, 2nd one has been fine. Glad I got the $25 replacement plan. Angle grinder cutoff discs $3 each. TSC sells the same crap for 2-3 times as much.
 
For real tools it's the only game in town. The scourge of all SnapOn, Mac and Matco salesmen. At about 1/10 the price.
 
bought the tubeless tire repair kit,for just in case,had a flat in the driveway one morning ,that kit saved the day. The o ring assortment pack saved the day for my friend once.
The little square flashlites have come in handy many times,make sure you grab a few of those,sometimes they give one free,I have gotten many things free with coupon offers
 
Like any other store of any kind. Check the product before you buy. A close inspection can help keep down dissatisfaction. I have been happy with most things I have purchased from Harbor Freight. A few years back I bought clear plastic bags of mm drill bits unsized. So I have to use a mic to check the size before using and a lot of the smaller bits were the same size. Best drill bits I have ever used. For drilling holes for bolts at home a coupla thousands large is not a problem.
 
(quoted from post at 03:51:55 10/17/15) didn't they recently discontinue the 3 ton trolley? Bill
They mighta Bill.
bought my second 3-ton one bout a year ago.
I mail order everything, no HF store near me.
hard to believe $6.99 shipping would cover it..but that was the fee.
good service too
one of them came thru missing a part.
(cardboard?!? box wasn't nearly strong enough for about 75 pounds of steel from china to CA to NY lol)
They sent me a shipping tag to send it back and sent me another.
On the phone I told them, they could just take that small part out of another box and send that to me, but their system is total exchange. shrug...didn't cost me any money or work. ok, their call.
....my UPS man wasn't real happy with me though...little guy :)
 
They may or may not be good. I don't know the answer to that. I do know that they sell mostly or all made in China copies of other people's stuff. Tools that look identical down to the dimension and colors in the same places, only difference is the name and stolen patents. The name, "Harbor Freight" comes from exactly what it says, freight coming into the harbor from China. Personally, I'd like to see them sued, shutdown, and put out of business for copy write and patent infringement. People buy made in China to save money, put the made in America business' and people out of jobs, often themselves, and then complain about poor quality and joblessness when it catches up to them as well. So be it. We are free to do it, and that's a good thing. I'm equally as free to point a gun at my foot and pull the trigger, but I've never done it, and that too is a good thing.

Mark
 
Mostly Imported junk . I have seen Made in USA oxy/acet hose and Goodyear USA air hose but guys were buying out all they had. I have seen Norton abrasives from Canada in H-F. Good for cheap floor jacks, engine hoist , engine stand. Bead rollers can be beefed up with extra steel Lots about that on interent. You have to be a wise shopper to sort out the junk from the worthwile. Good little flashlights.
 
I buy the $14 angle grinders about 6 at a time and throw them away when they smoke. I am still money ahead rather than spending $90 on a better brand because I abuse them - and the better brand will smoke too. At least the chinese freight grinders come with extra brushes.

I have also bought some other electric tools for very light duty use (such as a chop abrasive saw). You cannot beat their abrasive blades. I put a $14 Dewalt abrasive on the chop saw and it wobbled so bad the tool would have walked off the bench had I not had it clamped down. The HF blades are great.

Do NOT expect precision! If you are finishing your kitchen woodwork do not buy their sliding miter saw. Drill bits are cheap and most have little to no runout. But for most shop use their stuff is just fine and a lot less money.
 
You makes your choices and pays your money, just like at any other store. If'n you don't like it, don't go there.
 

I've got lots of stuff from there, also. Most I only use occasionally such as Shop press or other large type items. Lots of sockets/wrenches. Don't even think about buying their flare nut wrenches...they are not good. I think the part that goes over the flare nut flexes too much (poor quality steel) and will just slip on around the nut...sometimes damaging the nut. I chunked those on the scrap pile...lol.
 
Drive by one now and then but haven't slowed down, you go buy something and I'll wait for your personal endorsement.
 
Last year a friend of mine brought a Dewalt chop saw for me to look at. Was running slow and making noise. What I found was that the armature had been rubbing on the field to the point where it got hot and torched the wiring. How it did that is the bearing on the brush end of the motor was mounted in a rubber spider that had distorted with use allowing the parts to rub. The bearing was not much bigger than a nickel. I compared that with a chop saw from Harbor Freight and found its bearing to be twice as wide and twice the diameter as well as being securely mounted in the housing. I'm pretty sure he paid at least double for the Dewalt over what the HF version cost.

Does HF have the best tools ever? No. Are there a few US made things in their store? Yes. If you look at Northern Tool and Tractor Supply you'll find the same tools as HF but with different paint and much higher prices. Their vertical bandsaw uses a chassis that is identical to the one of the same size sold by Grizzly. For double the price (and then some) you get the snarling bear logo.

Most of their tools are "good enough" for most of us. They do have some absolute junk in there and they do have a couple of things that are quite good. If it's something with a plug or more than two pieces then open the box in the store and check it out before you take it home. They don't call it "The land of almost right" for nothing. Generally I've had decent luck with the things I've bought there. It's like a flea market with a warranty.

I look at it this way: Irwin, Milwaukee, Dewalt.....(the list goes on) shut down their American factories and put Americans out of work. Why should I reward their executives by buying name brand?

If my choice is between "made in china" or "made in china" (almost guaranteed when buying power tools) then I'll buy the knockoff (if it will get the job done) just as my way of giving those executives the finger.

BTW, always use the coupon!
 
Honestly, I never saw or read other comments about HF. Like I stated, the store recently opened in my town, and I had never heard of them before.
 
I bought one of those hand held band saws. Thought it would be good for a year or two, worked great. It is now 10 years old and still working great. Gets used a half dozen times a year if that. Why buy better for occasional use?

I really like their measuring tools. Great way to fit out a metalworking setup with calipers and such. Work just fine.

John
 
bought a generator from them over the weekend just spent 9 hours of non stop running powering an electric chain saw. It never hiccupped once. got the 2 year warrentee just in case. Have a shed full of their stuff not been disappointed anything yet.
 
What kind of angle grinder cutoff disks are you paying that much for? The 4 1/2" size I watch for on sale and get them for about 50 cents each or less. Bought some Dewalt and they were not neer as good. Couple of weeks ago I bout 4 packs of those disks 10 in a pack, 40 total and I still had probably that many at home. When I am working with that I will have 2 units set up same way as I run them long enough to get hot.
 
In early 2007 I bought a 9000 lb winch from HF......Its still working great today and doesn't owe me a penny....
 
I find most of their tools satisfactory for limited hobby work where tools are used occasionally. Last purchase was a tire changer that worked fine once I got it anchored to the floor. It will be used several times a year so I won't have to run to the tire store only to be told my tires are too old to mount. They are used lightly in off-road conditions.
 
Make a living with tools. Got on the Snap-On kick when I was younger and spent a bit shopping every week when the truck showed up.
Bought a lot of Proto stuff from the local tool place.
Spent money in Sears at the Craftsman displays.
And I have dropped a few bucks at Harbor Freight.

Bought a set of fiberglass handled ball pein hammers 15 years ago and they still are the first ones I reach for when I need a persuader. Their wood handled engineers hammer is a bit wobbly though.
Bought a Self darkening helmet a few years ago and use it daily welding with a tig at work.
Had one I bought 12 years ago that I used daily at another job where we used Migs.
Both work quite well and don't give me flash burn when tacking like a very expensive Speedglass did.
Bought a set of long reach 3/8" drive metric hex bits for use on a drive shaft for moulders 5 years ago. They held up quite well and I still have them.
Wouldn't mess with their grinders as I burned through 4 of them rather quickly and bought a Milwaukee instead. Next one I buy will be a Metabo.

Harbor Freight has its place and with their replacement policy they are something to look at.
 
I bought a 1/2 hp bench grinder from Harbor freight in the late 70s, back when they only had one location in California. I have replaced the bearings a couple of times and the ON/OFF switch. It has worn out many grinding wheels and wire brushed in the past nearly 40 years of use in my shop. For the little I paid for it I certainly received a good value.
 
Posted this a while back, HF 12000 lb winch has pulled farm tractors on my small trailer but I never planned on using it for this. Single line hardly grunted, it took longer to chain it down then load it. I have three HF air die grinders the oldest has been working for years, I also keep HF 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 socket sets in my truck toolbox for emergencies that have had a good bit of use. Their sockets and wrenches are a bit weak and I replaced all the ratchets with better ones but they work in a pinch. To work on my heavy equipment in the shop I have better tools.
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A couple years back, I decided I needed a toolbox for the back of the truck. I'm no mechanic, but farm part-time and have been known to tackle some fairly extensive shadetree type jobs.

Truck sets out all night in some shady parts of town at my real job, so theft is a possibility. Have a rollaway full of mostly Craftsman stuff, much of it I've owned since I was a teenager, sitting in the garage, but didn't want to risk that stuff.

Ended up equipping a box for the truck for a little more than a hundred bucks at Harbor Freight. So, far, no problems. Would I want their stuff if I turned wrenches all day every day for a living? Nope, but for what I need, they've worked just fine.

I also love their mechanic's gloves you can get for $3.99 using a coupon. Main gloves I use on the farm, fit well once broken in, and cheap enough that I have several pair scattered out amongst vehicles and equipment.
 

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